A Co Armagh businessman whose family was held at gunpoint by an armed gang at the weekend has told of the terrifying ordeal.

The man, who did not want to be named, explained he had just sat down with his wife (62) and daughter (22) to watch the X Factor final when a group of six masked men burst into their Keady home brandishing a gun and an iron bar.

The 66-year-old, who runs a local toy store, had only been home for a short time when the robbers attacked.

After gaining entry the men threatened the family before firing a shot into the air which hit the ceiling and a bed in an upstairs room and eventually became lodged in the roof. They then fled with a sum of cash.

And while no-one was hurt during the incident, the local businessman said his family have been left traumatised by the ordeal.

“I was just after finishing work, had a Chinese and sat down with a glass of wine to watch the X Factor and the next thing — bang,” he explained. “We are all right. No-one was hurt.

“I am back to business but the wife got a bit of a scare — we are two pensioners after all.

“It was just an ordeal.”

The man also believes the thieves were local.

“Our home is about a half-mile away from the shop,” he explained. “We had a big weekend in the shop. They (the thieves) knew, they’re locals, which makes it worse.”

This is the second robbery to take place in the Annvale Road area in a week after a gang targeted a neighbour of the shop owner.

Sinn Fein councillor Darren McNally condemned those responsible.

He said: “This the second burglary in the area within a week. The family who were targeted last week were actually at a funeral. When they came back they had a trailer stolen.

“There are criminal gangs operating in this area. Hopefully the police can catch them.”